Books
ISBN 978 0 7022 5375 1
“To tell you the truth, I kinda felt sorry for the kid. There was something in his eyes that stirred a memory inside me. For a moment, I was him, I was that boy hiding by the woodshed…”
An elderly man, living alone in the suburbs, thinks back on his life – the missed opportunities, the shocking betrayals, the rare moments of joy. When his ten-year-old neighbour hides in his garden one afternoon, they begin an unexpected friendship that offers a reprieve from their individual struggles. The boy, often left on his own by his mother, finds solace in gardening and playing chess with his new friend, who is still battling the demons of his past.
As a sinister figure enters the boy’s life, he must choose between a burgeoning friendship and blood ties. Can the old man protect the boy he has come to know – and redeem the boy he once was?
A poignant debut novel by a fresh Australian voice, The Promise Seed will move and mesmerise you.
“The boy … what does he hope for? Where does he dream? How high will he fly without someone to show him the way?”
The Promise Seed is the story of a burgeoning friendship between old man and boy, unfolding at an elegant pace as each finds something valuable and necessary in the presence of the other. The emotional stakes are high, and Moriarty allows room for both of these characters to become fully-fleshed, drawing the reader slowly into a world in which the threat of violence is ever present. [Despite this, The Promise Seed] maintains a sense of optimism.
There is a steady rising tension to this sometimes harrowing tale … there is also the seed of redemption and hope buried at its heart.
Through the gentle but raw introspections of the old man, and the uneasy, fearful life of the boy, the story moves with a sprinkling of humour and the chilling drama towards a gripping climax.
The most impressive aspect of Moriarty’s novel is the relationship between the protagonists, which is expertly constructed and believable…The Promise Seed [is] to be highly recommended.
This is a beautifully paced debut … It’s a thoughtful portrait of friendship, family and loneliness, and Moriarty’s finely drawn characters … bring levity and pathos to a sombre but moving story.
I loved it and thoroughly recommend it – it was very hard to put down. Definitely a must-read….
This is a powerful story, simply told, that delivers an emotionally satisfying reading experience. Many readers may, like me, be moved to tears in the closing chapters.
Through the gentle but raw introspections of the old man, and the uneasy, fearful life of the boy, the story moves with a sprinkling of humour amid the chilling drama towards a gripping climax.
The Promise Seed is the story of a burgeoning friendship between old man and boy, unfolding at an elegant pace as each finds something valuable and necessary in the presence of the other.
Cass Moriarty has written an engaging and heart-wrenching book. It is well worth the read.
The Promise Seed is an incredibly poignant piece of fiction that has the reader absolutely gripped from beginning to end.
ISBN 978 0 7022 5953 1
Daniel Whittaker’s will has some unusual instructions: in order for his three children to collect their generous inheritance, they must hand-deliver letters addressed to strangers from their father’s past. Who are these people and what was their significance to Daniel?
For his eldest son, Richard, there are hidden motives for his impatience to settle the will. His sister Evonne is still hurting from decades of her parents’ disapproval. The youngest sibling, Kelly, believes she knew her father best.
As Daniel’s children carry out his last wishes, each of them must confront their entrenched ideas about their father, and reconsider their own lives. What they discover is beyond anything they imagined.
Moriarty explores family secrets, polite societal conventions, love, loss and expectation with truth, compassion and genuine feeling.
Cass Moriarty demonstrates her inventiveness through the letters … the novel deftly illustrates the emotion sometimes experienced after a death: the feeling that you knew that person most intimately and profoundly, yet mystery has intervened, and your understanding of that life seems curiously limited … even after a lifetime.
“…a beautifully written opening scene; and a cast of lightly drawn characters. This is a nuanced love letter to parents who have passed on; something that will no doubt resonate with many.”
… each character is so rich and diverse from the next, with a good insight into their lives and characteristics developed over the book.
With each letter they delivered they learnt more about their father and like a jigsaw, pieced together a true, unexpected portrait of their father.
This is another great book from Cass Moriarty, with heart and insight. I look forward to seeing more from her.
I loved Parting Words so much. You delved into human nature with all its pain, joy, guilt and secrets with such a deft hand, I was pulled into these people’s lives like I was part of the family (safely on the sideline though).
Thank you for another great read!